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Note: This document is from the archive of the Africa Policy E-Journal, published
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Africa: Beijing Conference
Africa: Beijing Conference
Date distributed (ymd): 000607
Document reposted by APIC
+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++
Region: Continent-Wide
Issue Areas: +political/rights+ +economy/development+
+gender/women+
Summary Contents:
This posting contains several reports - from the Flamme on-line
newsletter and from the Economic Commission on Africa
communications team - on this weeks's UN Beijing +5 Conference,
the follow-up on the Fourth World Conference on Women and
implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action.
For additional reports consult the following web sites:
http://flamme.org
http://www.un.org/depts/eca
http://www2.womensnet.org.za/beijing5/news1/news1.cfm
+++++++++++++++++end profile++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
5 June : Introducing the Flamme Newspaper
Flame/Flamme is a partnership between APC-Africa-Women and FEMNET
(who initiated the network); the Nairobi-based African Women and
Child Feature Service; IPS and the Johannesburg-based Gender Links.
Formed during the preparations for the Africa Regional Conference
on Women, Flame/Flamme aims to promote debate and discussion on
gender equality in Africa. This publication is available, in
English and French, on the Internet at http://flamme.org.
FLAME/FLAMME TEAM Co-ordinator: Rosemary Okello-Orlale (Africa
Women and Child Feature Service) Managing Editor: Colleen Lowe
Morna (Gender Links) English Editor: Lucy Abala (Nation Media
Group) French Editor: Nana Rosine Ngangoue (Inter Press Services)
Opinion Editor: Muthoni Wanyeki (Kenya) Correspondents: Ferial
Haffejee (South Africa), Mercy Wambui (Ethiopia), Hope Kabuchu
(Uganda), Wanjiku Gitau (Uganda), Tafadzwa Mumba (Zimbabwe), Pat
Made (Zimbabwe), Bernadette Moffat (South Africa), Tuma Abdallah
(Tanzania) Electronic Information Dissemination: Jennifer Radloff
Editorial Assistant: Zohra Khan Layout: Rebecca Holmes and Ruth
Omukhango You can contact the Flame/Flamme team at: 6th Floor
Church Centre (opposite United Nations headquarters) 777 United
Nations Plaza Tel: (212) 646 227 1344 Fax: (212) 535 227 0873 This
paper is produced with the support of the Ford Foundation.
NGOs IN THE CONFERENCE, BUT OUT OF THE LOOP, BATTLE TO MAINTAIN
GROUND
By MERCY WAMBUI
June 6, 2000
NGOs may have been allowed in the General Assembly Plenary but they
have once again been excluded from the real action.
After a frustrating time yesterday trying to follow up contentious
issues, especially around reproductive health, poverty, debt and
globalisation, the NGOs resorted to what they know best-pitching
tent along the corridors and trying to lobby their member
countries.
NGOs found themselves in the plenary where general debate takes
place while the real negotiations take place in two working groups
deliberating on reproductive health issues and poverty, debt and
globalisation. Despite effectively being out in the cold the NGOs
are determined that, come Thursday when the working document will
be ready for the plenary, they will have lobbied enough to
influence recommendations in the contentious areas.
The one area on which everyone agrees is that commitments made in
the Beijing Platform for Action five years ago have not been fully
implemented. Beyond this general agreement, additional wording,
either inserted to strengthen arguments or to weaken implications,
trickles in on almost every area that touches on achievements and
obstacles in the implementation of the critical areas of the
Platform for Action.
As witnessed in previous UN negotiations in the post-Rio era, the
art of reaching consensus, particularly on delicate issues,
provides opportunities for uncompromising governments to evoke the
sovereign rights of each state to take on defensive positions.
Reading between the lines of the 72-page document and the veiled
G-77 reluctance to emerge with strong positions is a clear
reluctance to make any real move forward. The document proposes to
serve the interests of women "in consistency with national laws
and development priorities with full respect for the various
religions and ethical values and cultural backgrounds of its
people".
Take violence against women. The EU proposes a number of additional
implementation measures, such as the introduction of effective
legislation, protection orders and so on, while the G-77 only
proposes to review and revise "where appropriate" existing
legislation on violence against women.
While national laws remain wanting and development priorities
continue to marginalise women's concerns, hiding behind state
sovereignty is the code word for business as usual. Simply put, our
governments do not want to be pinned down to specifics, and do not
want to be held too accountable.
Still on violence against women, text referring to "thorny" issues
such as reproductive and sexual rights remain in brackets. The
section on women and health contains a proposal for the inclusion
of "sexual and reproductive rights as adopted in the ICPD report as
well the need for increased attention to sexually transmitted
infections and HIV/AIDS) infection among women and girls". This
issue, identified in the ICPD report as requiring further action,
is now being disputed.
Still contentious are all references to sexually transmitted
infections, including HIV/AIDS, reference to a "rights based"
approach to health and health care for women, the right to enjoy
high standards of sexual and reproductive health, issues on safe
and responsible sex practices in negotiating sex, behaviour and
relations, healthcare education and the lack of access to sexual
and reproductive health information, education and services.
Says a delegate from Togo: "I think delegates forget that words
such as "forced marriages, female genital mutilation, marital rape
and incest which are disputed in the document, are at the very
centre of people's lives." The NGOs report that most of the areas
that are raising hot debate are at the very core of women's
survival, especially in Africa.
Examples of other issues under contention behind closed doors are:
- Women and Poverty: A proposal by the G-77 to include the negative
consequences of globalisation and structural adjustment programmes,
high costs of external debt servicing and declining terms of
international trade that have impacted heavily on women is being
debated behind closed doors;
- Education and training of women: Lack of political will,
commitment and the inappropriate application of structural
adjustment policies that have severely affected the education
sector is disputed.
- Women and Health: Inclusion of "sexual and reproductive rights
as adopted in the ICPD report as well the need for increased
attention to sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS)
infection among women and girls" as an area requiring further
action is disputed.
All reference to sexually transmitted infections including
HIV/AIDS, reference to a "rights based" approach to health and
health care for women, the right to enjoy high standards of sexual
and reproductive health, issues on safe and responsible sex
practices in negotiating sexual activities, behaviour and relations
healthcare education and the lack of access to sexual and
reproductive health information, education and services remains
contentious.
- Women and armed conflict: The importance of a gender-sensitive
application of international human rights and humanitarian law,
reduction of availability and use of anti-personnel land mines.
Pending discussion are issues relating to economic sanctions,
development of high tech armaments decline in international
assistance to countries in developing countries hosting large
refugee populations and the provision of needs of internally
displaced women and children. Under-representation of women in
peace-keeping and lack of gender awareness in peace-building,
post-conflict reconciliation and reconstruction is pending
discussion.
- Women and the economy: Paternity leave and parental leave for
sick children, equal access or rights to ownership of and control
over land and other forms of property and to inheritance in
relation to national legislation is disputed.
The status of this document at this very late stage is surprising
to those who went through the same debate in the ICPD and World
Social Summit for Development process. But where issues of culture
and religion are concerned, debate over wording is necessary as it
sends an important message-issues of women's equality are not
welcome.
A major concern is the lack of specific recommendations touching on
resource allocation to accelerate the implementation process.
Unless delegates are pinned down to specific approaches and
solutions, laws will continue to remain unchanged and policies
remain undeveloped to advance the cause of women.
ECA Press Release No 05/2000
AFRICA FIELDS STRONG PRESENCE AT BEIJING + 5
UNHQ, New York, 05 June 2000 (ECA) -- Five years after the Fourth
World Conference on Women in Beijing, some 10,000 representatives
of governments, the United Nations system, intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations are attending a five-day meeting
that started today to assess implementation of the 1995 Beijing
Platform for Action for the Advancement of Women.
The Special Session on "Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development
and Peace for the 21st Century", being held from 5 - 9 June 2000 at
UN Headquarters in New York, is being convened by the United
Nations General Assembly, to review progress made in the
implementation of each of the 12 critical areas of concern in the
Beijing Platform of Action.
The African presence is strong, and includes Tanzanian as chair of
the session. Other speakers on this first day of the Session on
progress made in their respective countries in implementing the
Platform for Action included Namibia, Gabon, Tanzania, Tunisia,
Angola and Ghana.
In her statement, Nana Agyeman Rawlings Chairperson of the Ghanaian
delegation and First Lady of Ghana, insisted that although the
majority of rural, grassroots women in Africa and elsewhere were
not even aware that the Session was taking place, their needs and
concerns should be the main focus of the meeting.
The Special Session will review and share best practices, positive
gains, lessons learned, and modalities for overcoming obstacles and
constraints. It will consider further actions and initiatives for
achieving gender equality in all walks and levels of life in the
new millennium.
Parallel to the special session, special forums, seminars, and
panels have been organized -- including one on micro credit that
featured Hilary Rodham Clinton, First Lady of the United States.
Ms. Clinton strongly supported the idea of small loans and grants
as a proven, humane method capable of bringing about major changes
in the lives of women worldwide and uplifting families and
communities.
Addressing the parallel opening of the NGO gathering on the
occasion of the Beijing + Special Session, UN Secretary-General,
Kofi Annan said that the meeting was among the most important that
would take place in this Millennium year. "Its outcome will not
only be crucial to the rights and lives of women everywhere, it
will also be crucial to the achievement of the goals I have asked
the world's leaders to support at the Millennium Summit on behalf
of all the world's peoples".
Mr. Annan said that although progress has been made in implementing
the Beijing Platform, there was still a long way to go. "Just as
the Platform for Action could not have been drafted without you, it
cannot be implemented without you," he stressed. "We need your
energy, expertise and extraordinary spirit to move it forward, to
demonstrate that empowering women not only means better lives for
women, it means better lives for everyone on the planet - men and
women alike."
The Platform is a consensus document emanating from all regions of
the world. It details concerns in the 12 summary areas as well as
delineated modalities -- including establishment of national
machinery for advocating policy, coordinating and monitoring
action, and institutionalizing the concept and practice of gender
equality and gender mainstreaming in all plans, programmes and
projects, at all levels.
As many Member States have pointed out, the Platform has functioned
as a road map for action to raise the status and participation of
women. Speakers in plenary are addressing gains have been made in
implementing the Platform, challenges and obstacles continue to
impede an improved quality of life for women and girls, and the
need for social, political and financial recommitment to
accelerated action for full implementation of the Platform.
The 12 critical areas of concern include: women and poverty,
education and training for women, women and health, violence
against women, women and armed conflict, women and the economy,
women in power and decision-making, institutional mechanisms for
the advancement of women, human rights of women, women and the
media, women and the environment and the girl-child.
(END)
Daily updates by the ECA Communication Team, related links on the
Special Session on Beijing + 5 and the contents of a new CD-ROM
launched by the African Centre for Women are available on the ECA
Website at: http://www.un.org/depts/eca
For more information about ECA's participation in the Special
Session, please contact: Lorna Davidson, Sophia Denekew or Mercy
Wambui C/o Regional Commissions New York Office 31st Floor UN
Secretariat New York Tel: +1-212-963-6905 Fax: +1-212-963-1500
Email: [email protected]
CONTENTIOUS ISSUES FLARE IN FINAL COUNTDOWN
Rosemary Okello and Ferial Haffajee
June 6, 2000
With the attendant United Nations pomp and ceremony,
secretary-general Kofi Annan yesterday opened the Beijing+5
conference before an audience of over 7 000 women from every
corner of the world. But beneath the calm conference exterior, a
cauldron is bubbling as key issues of contention emerge.
African women, organized under the aegis of the G77 group of
countries, are pushing for a tougher line on the impact of
globalisation. Demanding debt relief, the African lobby wants the
conference to consider the structural aspects of female poverty.
This lobby also wants considerably beefed-up commitments for women
and decision-making. Some delegates argue that it's time to push
for equal representation of male and female politicians at all
levels of governance. "Without decision-making power, you can't
accomplish anything," believes Sarah Longwe, the chairperson of
FEMNET. The conference is likely to hear calls for a 50:50 gender
representation a step up from the 30:70 ratio for political
representation that is the accepted benchmark.
Because the new world is also characterized by supranational
authorities like the United Nations, the Bretton Woods
Institutions and the World Trade Organisation, African lobbyists
want the conference to plan ways to make these institutions more
accountable and representative. "We believe there should be gender
parity in peace-keeping and peace-making missions," says Kenyan
delegate Nish Muthoni-Matenjwa.
African women are also on the defensive against attempts to
rollback progress against basic patriarchal practices. "I think
delegates forget that forced marriages, female genital mutilation,
marital rape and incest which are disputed in the document are at
the very fibre of peoples lives in Africa," said a delegate from
Togo.
The conference is also divided on how it should set itself goals.
African NGO's say that concrete outcomes in the form of quotas are
essential and must not be trumped by nebulous goals. But groupings
like the European Union favour more loose commitments and pledges.
Conference chairperson Christine Kapalata admitted yesterday that
she is presiding over a fractious house. "Many paragraphs [on the
conference outcome declaration] remain outstanding," she told
delegates. "But with genuine political will and understanding, I
am confident consensus will be reached."
It's going to be a long road between now and Friday when the
conference declaration must be passed. Part of the reason for
tough negotiations is that while it's been only five years since
Beijing, the world has changed fundamentally. Globalisation has
trailed what Annan calls a "complex, inter-connected world" in its
wake. It's a more unequal world in which the benefits have, as
yet, yielded themselves only in the developed world.
HIV/Aids has reached pandemic proportions in Africa and women are
at the coalface of the disease yet the conference will again face
an onslaught on women's reproductive rights. There is an attempt
to water down draft commitments to sexual and reproductive rights
because religious conservatism is a growing force in Africa, Asia,
South as well as Latin America. This same force is attempting to
take back ground covered on the right to sexual orientation.
Francoise Girard, senior programme officer at the International
Health Agency says some UN member countries are backtracking on
consensus reached on reproductive rights in the previous UN
conferences. " We are tired of countries reaching consensus on
reproductive rights issues. This time round we want concrete
measures taken to ensure that women enjoy their reproductive
rights."
According to Girard, reproductive health issues have been bracketed
throughout the working document. She is particularly angry that a
paragraph guaranteeing the youth access to information on
reproductive rights has been bracketed, despite the fact that
HIV/Aids is ravaging the youth.
Few countries agree with the rollbacks, but there is a danger that
the end of this meeting will achieve few concrete measures because
delegates will be defending a minimalist position. Moreover, NGO's
lobbying for reproductive rights are excluded from the working
groups where key negotiations take place.
Yesterday morning, members of the Coalition for Health and Rights
made up of 66 women's organizations, were spotted in their purples
scarves in the corridors outside Conference Room 6 furiously
lobbying member countries.
Referring to the position taken by the Holy See and Nicaragua,
which have led the attack on reproductive rights, Girard vowed:
"Expect that women will get together and prevail upon them. We
cannot wait any longer."
This material is being reposted for wider distribution by the
Africa Policy Information Center (APIC). APIC provides
accessible information and analysis in order to promote U.S.
and international policies toward Africa that advance economic,
political and social justice and human and cultural rights.
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